Book Guiding Arab Men to Abuse Wives On Sale in Canada

A book advising Muslim men how to abuse and control their wives is being sold in a local Canadian bookstore.

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Rachel Hirshfeld, 25/03/12 16:30

Young Arab women (illustrative only)

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A book, entitled “A Gift for Muslim Couple,” advising Muslim men how to abuse and control their wives is being sold in a local Canadian bookstore, the Toronto Sun reported.

The ‘marriage guide,’ published by Idara Impex in New Delhi, India, was written by Hazrat Maulana Ashraf Ali Thanvi, who is described in the book’s forward as a “prolific writer on almost every topic of Islamic learning.”

The widely distributed publication states “it might be necessary to restrain her [wife] with strength or even beat her.”

The claims that women may be “beat[en] by hand or stick” and that men may “pull [them] by the ears” or withhold money.

It goes on to note that “the husband should treat the wife with kindness and love, even if she tends to be stupid and slow sometimes.”

The book also outlines the rights of the husband, which include having his desired being fulfilled and restricting his wife from leaving “his house without permission.” The woman, the author explains, must “not allow herself to be untidy… but should beautify herself for him.”

The store’s manager, who refused to identify himself, said the book had been sold out for quite a while, and refused to otherwise comment on the story, noted the Toronto Sun.

“I wouldn’t say it’s hate, but it is inciting men to hit women… the Muslim community knows that this is widespread, that a woman can be beaten,” said Tarek Fatah, moderate Arab political activist and founder of the Muslim Canadian Congress.